Scaffolding



y 1933- a J. T. MANSFIELD 1,918,116

SCAFFOLDING Fil ed June 9'; 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l fama vl' angfa'ezdINVENTOR ATTORNEYS different desired elevations,

Patented July 11, 1933 UNITED STATES JAMES 'I. MANSFIELD, OF1PIT'1SfBURG'I-I, PENNSYLVANIA SCAFFOLDING- Application filed June 9,

The object of this, my present invention, is the provision of ascafiold-construction that shall comprise a simple but strong and sturdystructure which may be quickly set up to widths and lengths and whichmay have its parts readily disassociated and taken down and folded intoa compact bundle when not required for use.

A further object is the provision of a scafio fold constructionconstructed of parts to afford stagings, one of which being arrangedover the other but cooperating with each other in such manner that allof the stagings are efiectively locked together The invention will befully and comprehensively understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description when read in connection with theaccompanying drawings which form part of the application, with theunderstanding, however, that the 'improvement is capable of extendedapplication and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawings norto'the precise construction described and, therefore,.such changes andmodifications may be made therefrom as do not affect the spirit of theinvention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of the improvement partly in section.

Figure 2 is a sectional View approximately on theline 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is adetail plan View looking toward the headed end of one ofthe uprights with the horizontal brace members attached thereto and heldthereon by the clamping or locking nut.

Figure 4 is a perspective view looking to- A0 ward the end of one of thehorizontal brace members.

The scaffold may be arranged at any desired height or sections may beadded thereto to elevate the scaffold as the work progresses or in orderthat the workmen on the scaffold can reach ceilings or walls ofdetermined elevations. Thus the scaffold embodies any desired number ofsuperimposed sections or stagings, each of which, however,

. includes tubular posts 1 that have the bores 1931. Serial No. 543,173.

at their upper ends flared, as at 2, and formed at their said endswithheads 3. The heads are in the nature of blocks that have their cornerscut-away or concaved so as to provide' right angular extensions 4. Thesesubstantially rectangular extensions are formed with substantiallykey-hole slots or openings, the restricted passages of which areindicated by the numeral 5 and the inner and semi-circular passages areindicated by the numeral co 6. The inner wall provided by each of thepassages 6 is tapered from the top to the bottom thereof, and thus thisportion .of each passage is what may be termed Wedgeshaped. Thewedge-shaped passages .are de as signed to have receivedtherein taperedor wedge-shaped substantially semi-cylindrical tongues 7 formed on neckportions 8 that pro ject centrally from 'the'outer and straight walls ofrectangular heads in the nature of blocks 9 formed on the ends of thetubular, bracemembers 10. v p p I The lower post 1 has its lower endreceived in. a sleeve or annular flange that projects from a base plate11 and when the scaffold is to be bodily moved the base plates 11 havefixed on the under faces thereof head plates 12 for the pivoted mounts12 for caster wheels 13. h

Only three stagings of the scaffolding are disclosed by Figure 2 ofthedrawings but obviously any desired number of such stagings orsections may be employed. The posts 11? of the intermediate section orstaging have their lower ends tapered, as at 12, to be received in theflared or tapered bores of the lower posts 1. The posts 11' areexteriorly threaded for a distance from theirtapered ends and havescrewed thereon plates 13, which when the scaffolding stagings ,or.sections are associated are designed to be I screwed over the heads 3 tocover the interengaging wedgeshaped tongues and grooves in the saidheads and on the ends of thehori- Zontal brace members 10 and in theheads 3. v.9

As far as-the description hasprogressed it will be noted that thescaffolding may be easily and quickly erected at different determinedelevations and likewise the scaffolding may be built up of any desiredlength or width. It '10 v Will be also apparent that when thescaflolding is erected it will provide a strong and rigid constructionand that the scaifolding boards are supported upon the brace members 10and the whole structure upon the wheels 13 if desired.

The top or uppermost posts for the scaffolding, indicated by the numeral14, are threaded, as at 15, for the major portion of their lengths andthese threaded portions are engaged by threaded plates 16 in the natureof nuts. The posts 14 enter the bores of the posts therebelow and mayhave a slight frictional engagement with such posts. The posts 14 haveouter and non-threaded ends fixedly secured in heads 18 which arecrossshaped in plan and which have the ends of their angle portionsprovided with key-hole slots or openings similar to those previouslydescribed and which are designed to receive therein tongues formed onthe necks that extend .from the substantially rectangular blocks formedon the ends of tubular brace members 17.

It is thought that the foregoing description when read in connectionwith the drawings will fully and clearly set forth the construction andadvantages of my improvement to those skilled in the art to which suchinvention relates so that further detailed description will not berequired. The improvement may be employed in any place where ascaffolding is required and consequently may be used by either interioror exterior'decorators, by masons, carpenters or other artisans and thatregardless of the height to which the scafl'olding is erected the samewill present a strong, rigid, and safe structure. It will also beapparent that the parts constituting the scaffold may be readilydisassociated and arranged one against the other to provide a smallbundle for storage or for shipment.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. A scaffold construction comprising posts having upper headed endsprovided with angularly disposed key-hole slots the inner passages ofwhich are wedge-shaped, horizontal and transverse brace members havingwedge tongues on their ends to be received in the wedge slots of theheads, and plates screwed on the posts and disposed directly over-theheads contacting with and for holding the wedge tongues in the wedgeslots.

2. A scaffold made up of stagings or sections, each including tubularposts having tapered openings at their upper ends, said ends providedwith heads having right-angu larly disposed key-hole slots the inner andwider passages of which are wedge-shaped, horizontal tubular bracemembers having headed ends provided with wedge tongues and necksconnecting thetongues with the heads to be received in the wedge slotsof the heads of the posts, the heads having tapered bores into which theupper ends of the posts are fitted and the lower ends of theintermediate posts being tapered to be received in the tapered openingsof the posts, nuts screwed 'on said intermediate posts and an rangedover the heads of the posts, the posts of the upper section or stagingbeing threaded and nuts screwed on said last-named posts and resting onthe heads of the posts in which thethreaded posts are received.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JAMES 'r; MANSFIELD.

